k1KB4/1p6/8/PP6/8/2b5/8/8 w – – 0 3
White to move. Is it possible for White to win in this position with the Bishop on the wrong corner?
Level of difficulty: 2.5 out of 4
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Bishop and Pawn endgame
1. a6 bxa6
2. b6 Be5
3. Bc7
1-0
Nathan
I thought it was pretty intersting that if black is to move, he can draw by Bxa5.
Interesting puzzle which looks like a draw at first sight. However white has the game winning move
1. a6!
If 1. …bxa6 then
2. b6 Be5
3. b7+ Ka7
4. Bc7 and black can not prevent white from queening.
If 1. … b6
then Bxb6 and white’s two connected passed pawns will decide the game.
If 1. … any other move then
2. axb7 followed by Bc7 and white will queen.
It is amazing how powerful a simple pawn push can be.
1…Bxa5 would´t save the game for black. White wins easily after 2.Bxa5 Ka7 3.Bc7 Ka8 4.Bb8 forcing black to play b6.
1.a6 is the right continuation, but 1…bxa6 is not forced. 1…b6 is possible… 2.Bxb6 Bd4, but white should be winning as well. White can move his king to c6 and interfere the g1-a7 or a5-d8 diagonal on c5 or c7.
a6 is an obvious start- the real problem is how to win after b6, Bxb6.
The problem is that the b pawn can never advance to b6 when the square is covered by the opposing Bishop as without the white squared Bishop the ending KB+(rooks)P v K is a draw.
I suspect the solution lies in the fact that the Bishop can’t stay on the a5 d8 diagonal and lose a tempo.
But when I look at it the Bishop can usually go to c7, since Kxc7 is stalemate in lines where the white Bishop covers a7.
So I can’t see better than a difficult draw for Black. But I suspect I’m missing something.